The Courage to Speak

British-Colombian dancer and artist Fernando Montaño is Leonie Mellinger’s guest in the final episode of the series. In Christmas week, Fernando talks about what it is like to perform in The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House. Born and brought up in very difficult financial circumstances in Colombia, Fernando began his ballet journey in Cali before earning scholarships to the Cuban National Ballet School and at La Scala in Milan. Despite having to audition in complete silence, he was next invited to join the Royal Ballet, making his Covent Garden debut in 2006. Fernando became the first Colombian - and one of the few black dancers at the time - to join the company. He performed with them for 15 years, rising to soloist and then principal. He has subsequently danced as a guest principal with leading companies across the world, including major performances in France, USA, Cuba, Italy, Peru and Colombia. And he has expanded his artistic passions with his own fashion and jewellery collections. In this fascinating and thoughtful interview, Fernando tells Leonie about his background and career and why dance and art are so important to his life. He now creates artwork through dance and has become a self-taught sculptor. He speaks about suffering from anxiety about his colour while at the Royal Ballet and how, for several years, even tried to lighten his skin. Fernando reflects on how he’s been able to use his profile to champion causes he’s passionate about, including the work of the Marine Conservation Society. Fernando discusses becoming friends with Vivienne Westwood and making global headlines when flown to Bogota by President Santos to perform an extraordinary private dance for the then Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in the Colombian presidential palace! If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: [email protected]⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

David Byrne, the Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre in London is Leonie Mellinger’s guest in this episode. In a fascinating conversation, that must surely be essential listening for anyone writing plays in the UK today, David details the process of getting new work commissioned at the theatre. He tells Leonie about his cultural philosophy and why it is important for challenging pieces to be staged at the Royal Court, including plays that no other theatre would consider. An award-winning playwright, in 2010 he was part of the founding team at the New Diorama Theatre in Camden. He spent 13 years there as Artistic Director before moving on to Sloane Square in 2024. The Royal Court celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2026, having built its reputation on new writing and often provocative work. From Joe Orton and John Osborne to Jez Butterworth and Caryl Churchill, many highly-rated post-war writers have been given opportunities at the theatre. David shares what it is like to run the Royal Court in an age of social media, financial pressure, cancel culture and polarisation and discusses why he believes passionately in completely backing writers whose work he programmes, as well supporting the next generation of British talent. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: [email protected]⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

Journalist, broadcaster and ITV news anchor Julie Etchingham is Leonie Mellinger’s guest in this episode. They discuss the shocking issue of modern slavery, especially the devastating impact it has on victims around the UK. Julie’s reports and documentaries have highlighted modern slavery at home and around the world, in places like Nigeria, Italy and the Philippines. She made a documentary on women kept as slaves in domestic servitude in London. Victims of modern slavery, especially those who are being sexually exploited, might face violence or threats, be forced into inescapable debt, or have their passport taken away. Many fall into this trap when trying to escape poverty, improve their lives or support their families. In this conversation Julie discusses some of the places that modern slavery may occur in plain sight across the country, including nail bars, car washes and in agriculture. Global charity Anti-Slavery International has identified seven categories: human trafficking, forced labour, bonded labour, people who are born into slavery, child slavery, forced or early marriage and domestic servitude. Julie has moderated several conferences on the subject, including at the Vatican with Pope Francis. She is on the advisory board for the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre and she won an award from the Human Trafficking Foundation for her reporting on cuckooing in the UK. As one of our most accomplished and experienced presenters, Julie is best known for anchoring ITV’s News at Ten and co-hosting their coverage at many of the nation’s biggest events. These include prime ministerial debates, royal weddings and funerals, and the coronation of King Charles III.  She has twice been named Presenter of the Year by the Royal Television Society and was the first woman to win that award. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: [email protected]⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

Dyslexia has been a serious issue for actress Amanda Barrie throughout her 75-year career, especially when she had to learn scripts for theatre, film and TV. In this hugely entertaining conversation, Amanda tells Leonie Mellinger about how the condition became a “nightmare” and about the techniques she then developed to cope with it. Her new autobiography I’m Still Here was recently published to coincide with her 90th birthday and it tells the story of a most extraordinary life. Having lied about her age and moved into a hostel in Soho as a 13 year old, Amanda performed in dance, review, cabaret and television in the 1940s and ‘50s. That was followed by long spells on stage as a lead actress in the West End and major touring productions, while also appearing in many films including her iconic lead role in Carry On Cleo. Amanda then established herself as one of the best loved characters on television - Alma in Coronation Street.  She was a key member of the cast for 13 years until Alma’s dramatic departure in 2001. She also lived with two secrets throughout most of her career, secrets which caused great anguish and pain, about which she writes very movingly in the book. Her sexuality, and her dyslexia. This interview focuses mainly on the latter and how she learned to deal with dyslexia in the decades when the condition was rarely recognised, with Amanda struggling to learn scripts amid insinuations of laziness or stupidity. In addition, she discusses the pressure on young actresses in the 1960s, when she developed eating disorders. She describes the special diets that actresses and dancers were advised to adopt and talks about her use of amphetamines to get through the long working days and nights. We also hear about her fear of being open about her sexuality, about being outed while on Coronation Street and how she eventually found great happiness with wife Hilary Bonner. Plus, there are stories about Gordon Ramsay, George Cole and Dora Bryan. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: [email protected]⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

This episode is about the national disgrace known as the infected blood scandal. Caroline Wheeler is the political editor of the Sunday Times and for almost a quarter of a century she has been investigating what she describes as “the deadliest man-made disaster in British post-war history.” She joins Leonie Mellinger to discuss her acclaimed book Death in The Blood which exposed the full horror of more than 30,000 people becoming infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products imported from the USA into the NHS. The victims in the 1970s and ‘80s included those who required blood transfusions following routine surgery, childbirth or accidents, plus thousands of haemophiliacs, especially children who died of AIDS. Caroline shares some of the shocking stories she uncovered about individual victims and their families, the politicians and civil servants who turned a blind eye to the emerging scandal, the role of companies who put profit before ethics, and the school where dozens of children were experimented on without their knowledge or consent. She also tells how her passion for justice led to her ‘crossing the Rubicon’ in Parliament when she personally lobbied MPs to vote in favour of a key amendment relating to the campaign. Caroline’s reporting has revealed yet another example of British establishment incompetence, lies, secrecy and cover-ups damaging the lives of tens of thousands of people who have since been seeking justice, compensation and closure. She won journalist of the year, and political journalist of the year, in December 2024 in recognition of her work on this story and her campaigning on behalf of the victims. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: [email protected]⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.