Gina Lyons - When you have nothing to lose, you have everything to gain
We talk to Gina Lyons, Gina is an award-winning director and producer working in TV and Film.
We discuss how the 12 year old Gina bounced back when her Dad left with her Mum's best friend. Her Mum's battle with alcohol and depression - and a few years later her brother's tragic death in car accident.
Rather than letting this adversity define her, Gina found a positive way to harness it. This led to a career defining job in TV when she won Channel 4's 'Get Me The Producer' in 2007. From there she quickly moved through the ranks at Graham Norton's TV production company, SoTV, ultimately seeing her produce TV and films independently that now are enjoyed by millions worldwide.
Gina discusses the reappearance of her alter ego Anxious Annie and the recent global news story of 'drunk couple buy Sri-Lankan hotel while on honeymoon' - which of course features Gina and her husband Mark and is now generating serious interest from Hollywood.
Where next for the fearless rude working-class girl from Northampton?
“I want one moment in time. When I'm more than I thought I could be”, so sang Gina Lyons and Whitney Houston every morning for two weeks as Gina’s dreamed of becoming Britain’s first reality TV appointed TV Producer.
Gina met us in the Prince Albert pub to tell us what it’s like to be a rude working class girl with no fear and:
- How a night on the rum resulted in her purchase of a Sri Lankan hotel
- How her big break in TV evaporated and then reappeared
- How Ross Kemp beat her
- Why you have to hang out with comedians to be a Comedy Producer
- The period spent living with a nudist and no gas or electricity
- Why her mate Simon isn’t allowed near the Queen
- The influence of her brother
- Why the downside of fearlessness can be fatal
- How anxiety has crept into her life
- The fine line between ambition and delusion
- The benefits of changing one’s mindset
- Practising resilience
- The benefits of putting yourself under pressure
Creators and Guests
Host
Neil Witten
Entrepreneur, Business Advisor, Podcaster @lifedonediff, Co-Founded @StoryStreamAI now building https://t.co/61uQZyYifN & https://t.co/wIogojBjyT You only get 1 go, live consciously 🏂
Producer
LifeDoneDifferent.ly
Home of the https://t.co/eegDhGkRPT podcast. Inspiring interviews with people who go against the grain & live their lives differently. @nwitten & @rayrich