The High Performance Podcast

Kumar Sangakkara is one of cricket's greatest legends, known for his unparalleled skill, leadership, and transformative philosophy. In this episode, Kumar joins Jake and Damian to share the key moments and philosophies that shaped his career both on and off the field, offering a profound perspective on performance, identity, and resilience.

Kumar explains how this philosophy shaped his approach to coaching and his own career, em...

Johann Hari has spent years doing what most of us don't have time to do — travelling the world, interviewing the world's leading neuroscientists, psychiatrists, and Silicon Valley insiders to find out why depression, anxiety, and loneliness are rising every single year. What he found will change how you see your phone, your mind, and your daily life.

Today we re-visit this impactful conversation with Johann, but it's not all doo...

Jake and Damian go inside the 2026 Australian Grand Prix — not with lap times and race analysis, but with something rarer: direct messages from the people who were actually there.

Jake shares a WhatsApp from Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu on leading through complete uncertainty. A message from Fernando Alonso's number one mechanic on why culture beats performance when nothing is certain. And a voice note from former Williams t...

David Dein is one of the most influential figures in modern football, the visionary former vice-chairman of Arsenal F.C. who helped reshape the English game. In this episode, David sits down with Jake to reveal the decisions, relationships, and moments that defined one of football’s most transformative eras.

He tells the inside story of discovering Arsène Wenger, a seven-year belief that would eventually change Arsenal forever. ...

Mo Gawdat rose to become Chief Business Officer of Google X, the moonshot factory tasked with solving the world's biggest problems. He had 16 cars in his garage, a nine-bedroom house, and by every conventional measure, had won. And then, in four hours, a preventable surgical mistake took his 21-year-old son Ali. What happened next changed everything.

In this episode, Mo shares the promise he made to Ali, to make him "everywhere ...

Alex Iwobi is one of the Premier League's most creative midfielders, known for his flair, expressiveness and ability to unlock defences. After coming through the Arsenal academy under Arsène Wenger, he has gone on to represent Everton, Fulham and Nigeria at the highest level, becoming one of football's most distinctive personalities both on and off the pitch.

In this episode, Alex sits down with Jake and Damian for a candid and ...

Ollie Bearman is one of Formula 1’s most exciting young talents, known for his fierce drive, impressive performances, and rising star power within the sport. As a member of Haas F1 Team, Ollie is carving out a path to greatness in F1, where every race brings new challenges and opportunities to prove himself.

In this episode, Ollie sits down with Jake and Damian for a raw and honest conversation about his journey from F2 to F1. H...

We revisit our chat with Olympic legend Michael Johnson, a man who has more medals, world records, and gold standards than almost anyone who has ever laced up a pair of spikes. But this conversation isn't really about the glory, it's about everything that happened in the shadows of it.

Jake sits down with one of the greatest athletes in history to uncover the mindset that drove him to become the only man to win gold in the 200m ...

What does a Formula One World Champion packing up a garage have in common with an Olympic swimmer crying into his goggles at the end of a training session? More than you might think.

In this exclusive preview, Jake and Damian read two of their favourite chapters from the Micro Habits audiobook, distilling some of the most powerful lessons from six years and 400+ conversations with the world's highest performers.

First, Lando ...

Sleep expert Stephanie Romiszewski has always taken an unconventional approach to rest, and in this episode, she reveals why overthinking sleep is the real culprit behind poor rest. Stephanie explains why obsessing over sleep only makes it worse, and how we can fix our sleep problems by addressing our daytime habits instead of focusing on the night itself.

She dives into the dangers of sleep trackers, sharing how even false data...

We're revisiting one of the most profound conversations we've ever had on High Performance - a discussion that fundamentally changed the way we think about performance on this show.

Jonny Wilkinson is one of rugby's greatest ever players. The drop goal that won England the 2003 Rugby World Cup is etched into sporting history. But behind the perfection, the trophies, and the records, Jonny was fighting a battle most people never saw.

Paul Gascoigne is one of the most gifted footballers Britain has ever produced. But behind the goals, the tears, and the headlines, who is the real man beneath the Gazza legend?

In this raw and deeply moving conversation, Jake and Damian sit down with Paul in his home in Bournemouth for one of the most honest interviews he has ever given. From growing up in Gateshead and witnessing a childhood tragedy that would shape him foreve...

Rob Smedley is one of Formula 1’s most respected engineers, known for his work with drivers like Felipe Massa and his time at Ferrari. In this episode, Rob sits down with Jake to share what it really takes to perform at the highest level, from the intense pressure of F1 to the human connections that make success possible.

Rob reflects on his first meeting with Felipe Massa, explaining how belief, structure, and brutal honesty he...

Forty years ago, in Sarajevo, 24 million people watched Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean achieve the impossible, Olympic Gold that redefined their sport forever. But while the world remembers those four minutes of 'Bolero,' the true story of high performance started a decade earlier in a cold, dank rink in Nottingham.

In this episode, Jayne and Chris take us inside the bubble of an elite partnership that has survived and thriv...

Matt Peet is one of the most decorated coaches in British sport. In just three years as Wigan Warriors head coach, he's won seven major trophies including back-to-back Super League titles, the World Club Challenge, and a historic clean sweep in 2024 - all before turning 42. And he never played professional rugby league.

Rising from coaching 12-year-olds on muddy fields to leading Britain's most successful club, Matt has built a ...

Mauricio Pochettino and Jesús Pérez, two of the most respected figures in modern football management, join Jake and Damian for a rare and insightful conversation on leadership, pressure, and human performance at the highest level of the game.

Drawing on their experience managing elite teams and global superstars, they explore what it really takes to lead in high-pressure environments, where trust, emotion, and human connection m...

Legendary Take That songwriter Gary Barlow joins us to share the most honest account of failure, shame, and rebuilding we've ever recorded on High Performance.

The recent Netflix documentary charted Take That's journey - the split, Robbie's solo success, the comeback. But what it couldn't capture was Gary's seven-year internal collapse. The songwriter and leader everyone expected would conquer solo stardom was drowning while Rob...

Daniel Negreanu, one of poker's all-time greats reveals the psychology of high-stakes decision making.

Daniel has been playing professional poker for 30 years and has earned over $50 million at the tables. A Hall of Famer and seven-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, he's widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the game's history. Known for his engaging table presence and ability to read opponents, Daniel has r...

Rick Shiels is one of the most influential figures in modern golf media, and a creator who helped redefine what high performance looks like in the digital age. From a small YouTube channel to hundreds of millions of views, Rick has built a career by questioning the traditional pathways to success and proving that creators can perform at the very highest level.

In this episode, Rick sits down with Jake and Damian to explore authe...