Motivational Q&A

David Coulthard

Following Ayrton Senna’s death at Imola, David was promoted from test driver to the race team – where he sat alongside Damon Hill. With 13 Grand Prix wins and over 60 podium finishes during his career he became Britain’s highest point-scorer in the sport. Now a member of the Channel 4 commentary team, David talks first hand about how to succeed in a high performance and unremittingly high pressure environment. He also explains how F1 teams rely on the drivers, technicians, engineers and sponsors all working together, and the motivation and leadership skills required to succeed in this...

Jonny Wilkinson

The man who won England the World Cup, Jonny became one of the most famous rugby players ever when his drop goal decided the final in the dying seconds of the game. He went on to become one of the most decorated players in the game, becoming the highest international points scorer and a role model of professionalism and sportsmanship. The public success was only part of the story, however, and Jonny speaks frankly and inspiringly about the pressure of expectation, the mental health implications of leading a life defined by others, and how his lessons can offer practical advice to anyone ...

Nicola Adams

Nicola was the first ever female Olympic boxing champion and the first Brit to successfully defend an Olympic boxing title. After golds in London and Rio she turned pro and now faces new challenges. A popular figure in and out of the ring, she has spoken openly about challenges both personal and professional, the role of sport in helping her deal with problems, as well as her dedication, focus and the feeling of facing an opponent one-on-one.

Sir Ben Ainslie

Ben is the first sailor to win medals at five Olympics. After seeing off the Danish boat in Weymouth Bay he masterminded tactics for the victorious US team in the America’s Cup - with his sights now firmly set on leading a British challenge. Ben demonstrates the physicality, techniques and strategic nous needed to compete at the highest level. He might also confess that his blocking tactics, now universally used, once led him to require police protection.

Hon Usain Bolt

Arguably one of the greatest sportsmen of his day, Usain Bolt is the first person ever to win back-to-back Olympic golds at 100m, 200m and 4x100m. A popular and flamboyant character, Usain takes questions on everything from the key to his success to what it’s like to be the fastest man on the planet.

Fearne Cotton

Fearne is one of the most recognisable TV and radio hosts in the UK. She’s also a bestselling author and founder of the wellbeing brand Happy Place, which became the premise for her chart-topping podcast.

Kadeena Cox

Kadeena is a history-making Paralympian, winning gold medals in two different sports at the same Games. A promising sprinter, her sporting career changed course when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis following a stroke. Not allowing her illness to get in the way of her dreams, she went on to secure a place at the Paralympics in both 2016 and 2020 winning a total of six medals across cycling and athletics. Away from the track, she champions diversity in cycling and has appeared on I’m a Celebrity and Celebrity Masterchef.

Tom Daley

Tom Daley is an Olympic diver who won gold for Team GB alongside Matty Lee at the 2021 Tokyo Games, marking his fourth and highest-achieving Olympic medal to date. As well as a champion in his sport, Tom is a proud spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ community.

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill

The ‘poster girl’ of London 2012 coped with the pressure of public expectations and led from the front, securing heptathlon gold in a magnificent 800m finale and provided one of the moments of the Games. One of Britain’s most popular athletes Jess retired from competition after the Rio Olympics in which she won silver.

Sir Mohamed (Mo) Farah

For many Mo is Britain’s greatest ever athlete having accumulated ten global titles which includes the ‘double double’ of gold medals over 5,000m and 10,000m at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. 

Rio Ferdinand

One of the most decorated players in the modern era, Rio’s career took in over 600 appearances for club and country, including over 300 games for a Manchester United team that won six Premier League titles and the Premier League and Champions’ League double. He has since become a popular pundit, he has interests in business and his own charitable foundation, and was lauded for his frank discussion of his experience of bereavement and mental health.

Helen Glover

Helen wrote herself into the history books by winning Team GB’s first gold medal at London 2012 becoming the first British oarswomen ever to claim gold, alongside her rowing partner Heather Stanning. After taking a step back from the sport to raise her children, Helen returned to the boat at the Tokyo Olympics as the first mother to compete in the sport. 

Dame Laura Kenny

Britain’s most successful woman Olympian, cyclist Laura won double-gold at both London and Rio in the team pursuit and the omnium. Her win in the multi-disciplinary event formed a part of one of the most memorable Olympic occasions and Britain’s most successful Games ever. She won her fifth gold in the women's madison during the 2020 Tokyo games. 

Jonnie Peacock

After losing his leg to meningococcal septicaemia as a child, Jonnie was spotted by scouts and sprinted to T44 100m Paralympic victory – beating Pistorius.

Victoria Pendleton

The Olympic and World Track Champion was once described by her French Canadian coach as being “too skinny and too puny to be a sprint cyclist.” Victoria has gone onto become one of the world’s best female cyclists, after seven world titles and golds in Beijing and in London. In Q&A she talks about the immense physical and psychological challenges faced by elite athletes, and the lessons from her new career as a jockey.

Greg Rutherford

Without a big sponsor, Greg drummed up support in his community to pursue his dream. He then earned instant fame by becoming the first Briton to win the Olympic long jump in half a century. He thought he should have gone farther; it wasn’t even a personal best. With humour and humility he speaks about looking for improvement, staying focused and managing pressure.

Alex Scott

After captaining Arsenal and playing over 100 matches for England, Alex is now one of the best-known faces in sports broadcasting. She's broken down barriers to become the first woman to commentate on men’s international and club matches for the BBC and Sky respectively. She has also hosted a game show, coverage of Tokyo’s Olympics and The One Show.

Ellie Simmonds

Ellie became GB’s youngest ever individual winner in either Paralympic or Olympic Games in Beijing. She now holds five Paralympic golds, over a dozen world titles, and a world record in 400m freestyle.

Stanley Tucci

Stanley has appeared in over seventy films, including The Devil Wears Prada, Easy A, The Terminal, and Road to Perdition, and has performed in more than a dozen plays, on and off Broadway. He earned his first Academy Award nomination, for Best Supporting Actor in The Lovely Bones. He also has a passion for food and travelled to Italy in the Emmy awarding winning food series Searching for Italy.

Beth Tweddle

Great Britain’s most successful female gymnast is only the fifth person in history to reach the top in two separate disciplines - the floor and asymmetric bars. Having become a role model for the next generation of gymnasts, and finally claimed that elusive Olympic medal, Beth is now a key part of the BBC’s coverage of the sport.

Arsène Wenger

The longest-serving manager in top-flight English football, Arsène was also one of the most successful. He introduced new levels of professionalism, talent development and performance culture to the game. He focused on stylish performances on the pitch and new techniques behind the scenes. In 22 years in charge he won three league titles and seven FA Cups, including the Premier League and FA Cup double twice.