Best Chris Akers Podcasts (2025)

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Andy West - Prison, family and philosophy 45:03

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9M ago45:03

45:03

Andy West is a writer and author who teaches philosophy in prisons. His book, The Life Inside: A Memoir of Prison, Family and Learning to be Free, is a memoir in which he discusses the lessons he has taught in prison and growing up with family members who have been incarcerated. We discussed the importance of philosophy, his experience of growing u…

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Kevin Yuill - Will assisted dying become a reality in the UK? 52:36

10M ago52:36

52:36

Over the last few months, assisted dying has been a hot topic of conversation in the UK news media. The ethics and practicalities have been extensively debated. Kevin Yuill is emeritus professor of history at the University of Sunderland and CEO of Humanists Against Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia (HAASE). He has written about and discussed this to…

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Catherine Johnson - The brutal truth behind Max Baer vs Frankie Campbell 1:36:44

11M ago1:36:44

1:36:44

In August 1930, Max Baer fought Frankie Campbell in a boxing fight that ended in tragedy, with Campbell losing his life due to injuries sustained during the fight. Baer was charged with manslaughter, yet was eventually acquitted of all charges. Writer Catherine Johnson has written the book 'Then The World Moved On', which goes into depth about this…

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Greg Everett - 'There's a difference between being tough and acting tough' 55:40

11M ago55:40

55:40

What does being tough mean? Is it more than physical strength? Is it sorely innate or can we develop toughness? Olympic weightlifting coach Greg Everett has written a book called Tough: Building True Mental, Physical & Emotional Toughness for Success & Fulfillment. I spoke to him about why he decided to write a book about toughness, where toughness…

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Baggage Claim ' I think people are learning to defend values a lot more' 52:14

11M ago52:14

52:14

Baggage Claim is a content creator and film & culture critic. We discussed whether the term 'woke' is overrated, what has happened at Disney, the feminisation of men and patronisation of women in modern culture and society at large and what happened to all the good screenwriters in Hollywood. Baggage Claim's YouTube channel: https://m.youtube.com/@…

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Michael Scott Moore - Their demand for my release ws $20 million' 52:51

11M ago52:51

52:51

In 2012, while in Somalia to research a book on privacy, journalist Michael Scott Moore was abducted by a gang of local pirates and kept in captivity for 977 days. Soon after, the pirates demanded a ransom of 20 million dollars for his release. We talked about his time in captivity, discussions he had with the pirates, talking to other hostages and…

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Kara Goucher - 'I got worn down a lot' 1:04:49

11M ago1:04:49

1:04:49

Kara Goucher grew up with dreams of running in the Olympics. Invited to join the Nike Oregon project, it felt like the opportunity to compete and win a medal at the Games would be realised. She competed at the Olympics, World Championships and some of the best marathons in the world. Then it turned horribly wrong. She has a new book that details pr…

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Mirin Fader - The Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon 49:43

12M ago49:43

49:43

Mirin Fader is a senior staff writer for The Ringer, writing long-form, human-interest sports features. She’s the New York Times best-selling author of the book, Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion, about Giannis Antetokounmpo and his youngest brother, Alex Antetokounmpo. Her current book is another biography, this time on Hakeem Olajuw…

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Donna Lyon - 'People's lives have been changed' 39:11

12M ago39:11

39:11

Dr Donna Lyon runs a support group in Melbourne to help women who suffered from abuse when they were a child. The support group is called Left Write Hook and uses boxing and writing as a way to help women overcome the complex trauma they are going through. The group is now the subject of a new documentary which was shown at the Melbourne Internatio…

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Jo Ward - Every Contact Leaves A Trace 37:36

12M ago37:36

37:36

Forensic science has been around for many centuries. With each decade that passes, forensics techniques used to identify perpetrators of crime become ever more sophisticated. This has also been reflected in the number of crime dramas on television and film that use forensics as an anchor for the rest of the story. I spoke to Jo Ward, who is a crime…

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Bernadette Emerson - How IPP is affecting a person's loved one 1:02:47

1y ago1:02:47

1:02:47

There are people currently under Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP). These are a form of indeterminate sentence introduced which took effect from 2005 and abolished in 2012. Despite their abolishment, there are people still in prison due to IPPs. I spoke to Bernadette Emerson, whose partner is under IPP about his future and how IPPs affect he…

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Niamh McAnally - The Writer on the Water 55:11

1y ago55:11

55:11

Niamh McAnally is an author, keynote & corporate speaker. Two years ago, her book Flares Up: A Story Bigger Than The Atlantic, about two men who rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, was published by Pitch. She has recently released her autobiography Following Sunshine. I spoke to Niamh about her life in detail. We discussed growing up around film…

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Irvin Muchnick - The Greed-Soaked of USA Swimming 1:05:25

1y ago1:05:25

1:05:25

Irvin Muchnick is an independent journalist and author who specializes in sports muckraking. He has written for Sports Illustrated, People, The Washington Monthly, and the Sunday magazines of the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, among many other major publications. We talked about his new book UNDERWATER: The Greed-Soaked Tale of Sexual Ab…

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Diane Foster - 'I always wanted to do film from very early on' 59:42

1y ago59:42

59:42

Diane Foster is an award-winning American actress-singer-dancer-producer based in Los Angeles. She directed and starred in the horror film Easter Bloody Easter, which was released earlier this year, and produced and starred in the film IOWA, released in 2005 and part of the official selection at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2018, Diane founded her…

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David Arrowsmith - How Pablo Escobar changed Colombian football 55:42

1y ago55:42

55:42

Pablo Escobar's criminal activities and subsequent passing have given him a mythical status that his crimes should not have. During his time as the world's most notorious drug lord, he saw himself as a Robin Hood figure, building facilities such as homes and football pitches in the downtrodden areas of Medellin. It was in the construction of the la…

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Emma Hardy - Why I decided to homeschool my children 52:58

1y ago52:58

52:58

Emma Hardy is a mother who decided to homeschool after discovering what they had been taught. Alongside this, she is also taking the gym she attended to court. The reasons for this are in her crowdfunder, which is linked below. Emma's crowdfunder: https://democracythree.org/help-emma-sue-david-lloyd Find The 286 Project on Social Media: https://lin…

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Timandra Harkness - 'Technology just reflects what we want of it' 1:02:22

1y ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Timandra Harkness is a writer and presenter. She has presented many programmes for BBC Radio about technology and how it interacts with society. She has written a new book called Technology is Not the Problem, arguing that the problem is not algorithms, but the need to create technology to feed our desires. We discussed how the advancement of techn…

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Dave Haslam - When told her face didn't fit, Grace Jones turned it into an advantage 50:15

1y ago50:15

50:15

Dave Haslam is a DJ, writer and journalist who has recently written books on an array of people such as Courtney Love, Haring, Sylvia Plath and Pablo Picasso. We discussed Manchester's culture renaissance, Grace Jones spending time in a Stockport studio and Courtney Love's short stay in Liverpool. On a sidenote, it would really be appreciated if yo…

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Andy Clarke - 'Boxing wouldn't be boxing without the knockouts' 57:52

1+ y ago57:52

57:52

The knockout. A sudden and concussive end to a sporting contest that is unique to combat sports. No single action in sport can turn the path of the contest so suddenly in the losing person's favour, than a punch that causes unconsciousness in their opponent. Boxing commentator Andy Clarke has written a book about its effects. We discuss the two fig…

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Tony Sewell - Black Success 58:03

1+ y ago58:03

58:03

Why do a high percentage of African Caribbean people between the ages of 50 and 60 own their home? Why are British Nigerians doing so well academically? What can young black people in the UK learn from the success stories of black people years before? Tony Sewell has been a teacher and journalist. His charity Generating Genius has helped hundreds o…

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Paul Morland - How can we stop the world's birth rate declining? 1:01:35

1+ y ago1:01:35

1:01:35

Birth rates are declining, ageing populations around the world are increasing and currently, this shows no signs of stopping. One of the world's pre-eminent demographers', Dr Paul Morland has written extensively on this subject, including three books and for various publications. We discuss the reasons behind population decline, whether immigration…

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Pete Carvill - Death of a Boxer 44:28

1+ y ago44:28

44:28

In his new book Death of a Boxer, Pete Carvill explores the psychology of those who choose to fight and what draws them towards this most dangerous of pursuits. We discuss the story of Mike Towell, why people choose to box and what boxing does for them. On a sidenote, it would really be appreciated if you could subscribe to the channel, as the more…

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George TheTinMen - 'We've all accepted that men's mental health is a serious issue' 1:02:25

1+ y ago1:02:25

1:02:25

This episode features our first returning guest, George TheTinMen. With nuance and articulate discussion, we discuss many issues concerning men - from whether men's mental health is taken seriously, to men having their own spaces and how men are treated in family court. On a sidenote, it would really be appreciated if you could subscribe to the cha…

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Neil Davenport - 'This country's always associated with pub culture' 47:03

1+ y ago47:03

47:03

Neil Davenport is a sociology teacher and critic who has recently written a letter of liberty for the Academy of Ideas in the UK, defending pubs and the pub trade. I spoke to him about how the purpose of pubs has historically been more than just serving alcoholic beverages - from plotting working-class political movements to becoming a stage for ar…

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David Curcio - Boxing and cinema 45:39

1+ y ago45:39

45:39

From Somebody Up There Likes Me to Rocky series to Raging Bull, cinema has long been fascinated with boxing - both the boxers themselves and the characters that make up the sport. I spoke to writer and author David Curcio about his latest book Race, Crime and Culture in Boxing Films, which looks at a selection of boxing films over the last century.…

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Claire Fox - From the Battle of Ideas to the House of Lords 1:03:31

1+ y ago1:03:31

1:03:31

Claire Fox is a writer and journalist who in 2020 was invited to sit in the House of Lords as a non-affiliated life peer. She is also the director and founder of the think tank the Academy of Ideas, as well as the Battle of Ideas. I spoke to her about the House Of Lords, free speech, the Battle of Ideas and Scotland's hate crime law. Academy of Ide…

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Denise Fahmy - 'The arts funding scheme got more politicised' 47:45

1+ y ago47:45

47:45

It is often said that the arts have been 'captured' or that the showcasing of art has elements of being 'woke'. Yet it is not just on stage, screen, in a museum or gallery where the nature of the arts has had a big impact. The administrative side of art and the awarding of grants and bursaries has also gone through profound change over the last few…

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Ben Jackson - History of the Africa Cup of Nations 50:09

1+ y ago50:09

50:09

This year's African Cup of Nations was one of the most interesting football tournaments for many years. From Uganda's lost generation of players in the 1990s to Cameroon's emergence as a force in the African game a few years earlier, the African Cup of Nations has always been a compelling continental tournament. I spoke to Ben Jackson about his boo…

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Gary Turner - MMA and Brain Injury 58:01

1+ y ago58:01

58:01

Gary Turner is a 10-time world champion, as well as winning countless European and domestic titles across a wide range of martial arts styles. He is also a PhD researcher, looking into traumatic brain injury in combat sports. I spoke to him about how he came to reconcile competing in combat sports with the brain injury that those sports can cause a…

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Lee Spencer - Dare to Dream 43:08

1+ y ago43:08

43:08

Lee Spencer is a former Royal Marine who after coming through three tours of Afghanistan, lost his right leg and nearly his life due to an accident on the motorway. I spoke to him about overcoming adversity and the challenges he has set for himself and overcome. Lee Spencer's website: https://leespencer.co.uk/about-lee/ Find The 286 Project on Soci…

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Thomas Harris - Why is free speech important? 57:40

1+ y ago57:40

57:40

I spoke to Thomas Harris from The Free Speech Union about all things to do with free speech including how free speech is dealt with around the world and Ireland's speech bill. Free Speech Union website: https://freespeechunion.org/ Find The 286 Project on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/the286project About The 286 Project: A podcast talking about a…

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Momus Najmi - 'Weakness in out politics comes from not knowing the nation itself' 1:03:35

1+ y ago1:03:35

1:03:35

For this episode, I spoke to writer, podcaster, history enthusiast and social commentator Momus Najmi about world history, politics and the reasons why the West seem to have weak leaders. The World of Momus podcast: https://www.youtube.com@UC4YBowCYlUouQcgcqItq-mQ The World of Momus Substack: https://www.theworldofmomus.com/ Find The 286 Project on…

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Neill Wood - Financial Fair Pay: What You Need To Know 1:01:49

1+ y ago1:01:49

1:01:49

From Financial Fair Pay to Everton's points deduction and Manchester City's 115 charges, the financial health of football has been on the back pages regularly over the last few months. To make sense of it all, I spoke to former Financial Controller of global football organisation City Football Group and football financial expert Neill Wood to expla…

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Keri Smith - 'I don't just want to get into another echo chamber' 1:01:43

1+ y ago1:01:43

1:01:43

Keri Smith is the host of the podcast Deprogrammed with Keri Smith. She is also one of the first people I know who wrote about why she decided to leave the Left. We discuss that, as well as her views on the political landscape over the last decade, tribalism and her route to Christianity. Find The 286 Project on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/the2…

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Simon Edge - 'I was interested in how bizarre beliefs can become normalised' 1:00:17

1+ y ago1:00:17

1:00:17

Simon Edge is the author of six books including The End of the World is Flat and his latest book In The Beginning. We discuss amongst other things, what was it like to edit Graham Linehan's autobiography, how has the publishing industry changed over the last couple of decades and whether there is a grievance industry. Simon's website: https://www.s…

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Sabine Beppler Spahl - 'Farmers have felt they have been harrassed' 41:22

1+ y ago41:22

41:22

Farmers have been protesting in Germany since late last year. Why are they doing so? How is the news media in Germany reporting them? Are there any similarities between these protests and the farmers' protests in the Netherlands last year? I spoke to Spiked’s Germany correspondent Sabine Beppler-Spahl about these issues. Sabine's article in Spiked …

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Ella Whelan - 'Nurses were arguing at the bottom of my bed' 46:03

1+ y ago46:03

46:03

For this episode, I spoke to freelance writer and journalist Ella Whelan about her own experience of giving birth and her own investigation into maternal care in the UK. Ella's article on Unherd about maternity care in the UK: https://unherd.com/2023/12/the-nhs-cu... Find The 286 Project on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/the286project About The 28…

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Simon Clark - 'It's up to people to make up their own minds' 1:01:44

1+ y ago1:01:44

1:01:44

Should people be allowed to smoke? Is smoking becoming increasingly undermined by public health measures? Is smokers' behaviour being controlled beyond what is reasonable? I spoke to the director of smokers' rights group FOREST Simon Clark, who is a non-smoker himself, about all of these issues surrounding smoking. FOREST website: https://www.fores…

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Tom Andrews - Is Two Tier Policing A Thing? 1:21:50

1+ y ago1:21:50

1:21:50

There is a perception during recent protests, that the police were more heavy handed with certain groups while more hands off with others, even if those groups caused damage. Is two-tier policing a thing and how can we improve the police service as a whole? I spoke to writer, historian and lecturer in policing Tom Andrews about this and other issue…

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Allan Cockram - 'They Have No Filter' 49:41

1+ y ago49:41

49:41

After retiring from professional football, Allan Cockram established a football team for people with Down's Syndrome, the Brentford Penguins. Now a documentary called Mighty Penguins has been made about the team, which has been shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. I spoke to Allan about his football career and journey through life, the P…

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Chris Etchingham - When Football Was War Plus The Shooting 55:36

2y ago55:36

55:36

The Yugoslav wars of the 1990s led to the break up of Yugoslavia into six independent countries. Not surprisingly, this had a massive effect on their leagues, both on their domestic leagues and their national team, which was in the midst of its own golden generation. Writer Chris Etchingham has written a book on this called Emancipation for Goalpos…

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Donald McRae - 'We must continue to ask serious questions' 48:53

2y ago48:53

48:53

I spoke to award-winning sports writer Donald McRae about the books he has written, the people he has interviewed, his thoughts on boxing and his opinions on sportswashing. Find The 286 Project on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/the286project About The 286 Project: A podcast talking about art, politics, culture, sport....and anything else we can th…

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Duncan Hamilton - England. 1966 And All That. 54:55

2y ago54:55

54:55

1966. Etched into English sporting and culture as even more non-football fans in England know that the country won the World Cup that year. While there have been documentaries and books galore about England's triumph that day, little has been written of a number of players and the manager of that side. I spoke to award-winning writer Duncan Hamilto…

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Rosie Kay - 'There's an incredibly risk averse culture in the arts'. 1:04:16

2y ago1:04:16

1:04:16

Rosie Kay is a Choreographer, Dancer, Artistic Director, Speaker, Artist and CEO of her own company K2CO. We discussed why she was forced out of her original company, why the arts have engaged in cancel culture over the last decade, the organisation she has co-formed to promote freedom in the arts, and her current work on the stage. K2CO's website …

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Rachel Charles - 'You Can Hit Rock Bottom and Improve' 1:07:03

2y ago1:07:03

1:07:03

Boxing publicist Rachel Charles has lived an eventful life, to say the least. Born and brought up in a working-class area of Birmingham, she moved to Los Angeles as a teenager and eventually was the in-house publicist for boxing promoter Dan Goosen. The journey of how she got there will shock and inspire in equal measure. Find The 286 Project on So…

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Sam Peters - 'We were been told there isn't a problem' 47:21

2y ago47:21

47:21

Since rugby union players were able to make a living in the mid-90s, the spectre of concussion has loomed large over both union and league. Over the last few years, more ex players have come forward, stating that they are suffering from neurological illnesses due to the repeated head trauma they endured while playing the sport. But is the game taki…

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Rakib Ehsan - Beyond Grievance 54:22

2y ago54:22

54:22

Dr Rakib Ehsan is a British-Bangladeshi independent researcher specialising in race relations, social cohesion and public security. His latest book is called Beyond Grievance: What the Left Gets Wrong about Ethnic Minorities. Find The 286 Project on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/the286project About The 286 Project: A podcast talking about art, po…

1
Don Stradley - 'He was esteemed in his field but had a secret life' 58:19

2y ago58:19

58:19

William Douglas was a respectful university professor with a loving family. However, he led a secret life, spending his nights in Boston's red light district, known as the "Combat Zone. Inevitably, this led to tragic circumstances for both Douglas, a woman he had befriended and both of their families. I spoke to author Don Stradley, who in his late…

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EMILY SWEENEY - 'WRESTLING WAS HIS TRUE CALLING 45:37

2y ago45:37

45:37

People have likely heard of the band the Dropkick Murphys. The man the band named themselves after led an unbelievable life. Dr. John “Dropkick” Murphy's legacy extends far and wide. From becoming a household name as a wrestler who put himself through medical school to leaving that world behind to open Bellows Farm - an at the time one-of-a-kind in…

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Joanna Williams - What is the current state of education? 46:20

2y ago46:20

46:20

Education in the UK has long been a source of conversation. From teaching standards to decolonising the curriculum, the education system is going through a number of changes. Dr Joanna Williams is the founder of Cieo, an independent think tank run by a small team of academics and authors. I spoke to her about the state of education in the UK includ…